Chapter 7.2 - The Bhavisyottara-purana (study)

Though the Manuscripts¹³ of the 'Bhavisyottara', which have

1* For Manuscripts of the Bhavisyottara see- (1) Theodor Aufrecht, pp. 33-36. [No. 76.-This is a Devanagari Manuscript beginning from Bhavisya-purana IV (Uttara-parvan). 1.4 and containing, among others, the following chapters which are not found in the Uttara-parvan of the printed Bhavisya: Chaps. 166 (on guda-dhenu-dana), 167 (on ksira-dhenu-dana), 168 (on dadhi-dhenudana), 169 (on madhu-dhenu-dana), 170 (on sarkara-dhenu-dana), 171 (on phala-dhenudana), 172 (on karpasa-dhenu-dana), 173 (on navanita-dhenu-dana), 174 (on rasadhenu-dana), and 175 (on ganesa-durga-visnu-ganga-stuti-varnana). On the other hand, the following chapters of the printed Uttara-parvan do not occur in this Manuscript: Chaps, 24 (on Rambha-vrata to be observed in a different way), 50 (on Kamalasaptami-vrata), 51 (on Subha-saptami-vrata), 52 (on Snapana-saptami-vrata), 64 (on Asa-dasami-vrata), 75 (on Sravana-dvadasi-vrata), 144-150 (on Gananatha-santi, naksatra-homa, Aparadha-sata-vrata, Kancanapuri-vrata, kanyapradana. Brahmana-susrusa, and rsa-dana), 206 (on Rohini-candra-sayana-

been discovered up to the present time, are all found to exist independently and are not attached as parts to the Manuscripts vrata), 207 (on Krsna's start for Dvaraka), and 208 (list of contents, and conclusion). It is to be noted that chapters 166, 170, 172 and 175 of this Manuscript occur neither in the printed Uttara-parvan nor in the Manuscript noticed by R. L. Mitra.] (2) R. L. Mitra, VIII, pp. 36-39. [No. 2582.This is a Nagara Manuscript dated Samvat 1620. It begins from verse 3 of Bhavisya-purana IV. 1; and its colophon runs as follows: iti bhavisyottare dana-dharme sarvva-sastroddhrte sarvva-danani samaptah (? sarva-dana-niyamah samaptah). The following chapters of this Manuscript are not found in the printed Uttara-parvan: Chaps. 38 (on Sandilya-vrata), 49 (on Somastami-vrata), 117 (on ksira-dhenudana chap. 167 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 118 (on dadhi-dhenu-dana-chap. 168 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 119 (on madhu-dhenu-dana=chap. 169 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 121 (on phala-dhenu-dana=chap. 171 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 122 (on navanita-dhenu-dana =chap. 173 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 123 (on rasa-dhenu-dana=chap. 174 of Aufrecht's Manuscript), 126 (on krsna-go-dana), 130 (on asva-dana), 131 (on kartavya-nirnaya), 132 (on pretatva-pariharaka-dana-vidhi), 133 (on sraddha-tattva-nirnaya), 134 (on sraddhavidhi), 135 (on Brahma-vivahadi-laksana), 173 (on the names of vratas), 174 (on Matsya-puranokta-tila-patra-dana), 175-177 (on Rsi-pancami-vrata). On the other hand, the following chapters of the printed Uttara-parvan do not occur in this Manuscript: Chaps. 9 (on Asoka-vrata), 11-12 (on Kokila-vrata and Brhat-tapo-vrata), 14 (on Yama-dvitiya-vrata), 16-18 (on Madhuka-trtiya-vrata, Meghapali-trtiyavrata, and Rambha-trtiya-vrata), 56 (on (Durvastami-vrata), 60 (on Bilvanavami-vrata), 65 (on Taraka-dvadasi-vrata), 70 (on Govinda-sayanotthapanadvadasi-vrata), 73 (on Malla-dvadasi-vrata), 76 (on Vijaya-sravana-dvadasivrata), 79 (on Akhanda-dvadasi-vrata), 87-88 (on Abadhaka-vrata and Mandara-nimb-arka-karavira-vrata), 95-97 (on Sravanika-vrata, naktopavasavidhana, and Siva-caturdasi-vrata), 101 (on Yugadi-tithi-vrata), 109 (on Sivanaksatra-purusa-vrata), 112 (on Vrntaka-vrata), 114-115 (on Sanaiscara-vrata and Aditya-dina-nakta-vidhi), 119 (on Abhinava-candrarghya-vrata), 125 (on candr-aditya-grahana-snana), 128-129 (on vrksodyapana and Deva-puja-phalavrata), 133 (on andolaka-vidhi), 137 (on sravana-purnima-raksa-bandhana-vidhi), 139-140 (on Mahendra-dhvaja-mahotsava and Dipalikotsava), 144-150 (on Gananatha-santi, naksatra-homa, Aparadha-sata-vrata, Kancanapuri-vrata, kanya-pradana, Brahmana-susrusa and vrsa-dana), 153-154 (on jala-dhenu-dana and ghrta-dhenu-dana), 158 (on ubhaya-mukhi-go-dana), 161 (on kapila-dana), 162-163 -(on mahisi-dana and avi-dana), 167 (on apaka-dana), 182 (on sapta-sagara-dana), 186 (on hiranyasva-dana), 194 (on varaha-dana), 202 (on ratnacala-dana), 206 (on Rohini-candra-sayana-vrata), 207 (on Krsna's start for Dvaraka), 208 (on the list of contents, and conclusion). It should be mentioned here that chapters 38, 49, 126, 130-135 and 173-177 of this Manuscript occur neither in the printed Uttara-parvan nor in Aufrecht's Manuscript described above.] (3) Julius Eggeling, VI, pp. 1255-56. [Nos. 3450-51 (Manuscripts Nos. 2562 and 1328 respectively).-The former of these two Manuscripts is written in Devanagari characters and ends with chap. 207 of the printed Uttara-parvan. It contains chap. 206 (on Rohini-candra-sayana-vrata) of the Uttaraparvan.] (4) A. Weber, pp. 134-7, No. 468. [In this Manuscript the work styles itself 'Bhavisyottara-purana' and consists of 199

368 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS of the Bhavisya-purana, the 'Bhavisyottara' has not yet been printed separately with its real title but is found to form the fourth part, named Uttara-parvan, of the Venkatesvara Press edition of the Bhavisya-purana That this Uttara-parvan chapters, of which chapters 11 (on Nara-vrata), 38 (Mahatapah-saptami-vrata), 50 (Umasaptami-vrata), and 158-162 (on Ardhodaya-vrata, Gurvastami-vrata, etc.) do not occur in the printed Uttara-parvan. On the other hand, chapters 9-10, 13-17, 112, and 159- 160 of the printed Uttara-parvan are not found in this Manuscript ] (5) Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Adyar Library, Part I, (6) M. A. Stein, Catalogue, p. 207. p. 151. (7) Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, p. 304. (8) A. C. Burnell, A Classified Index, p. 190. (9) P. P. S. Sastri, XV, pp. 6897-6899, Nos. 10037-38. The Manuscript of the Bhavisyottara - Purvabhaga, as described by H. P. Shastri in his Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) Cat., V, pp. 443-446 (No. 3752), shows that it contains a work which is of late origin and quite different from the Bhavisyottara preserved in the Manuscripts mentioned above. For the short texts (on stotra, dana, mahatmya, vrata, vrata-katha, puja, etc.), claiming to be parts of the Bhavisyottara, see (i) Julius Eggeling, VI, pp. 1256-58, Nos. 3452-56. (a) No. 3452-Surya-sahasra-nama-stotra. (b) Nos. 3453-55-Aditya-hrdaya-stotra. (c) No. 3456-Sodasa-cola-caritra. (ii) H. P. Haraprasad Shastri, V, pp. 446-487, Nos. 3753-3815 (Matsyadesantargatatirtha-mahatmya, Svapnadhyaya, Tulasi-vivaha, Ananta-vrata, Ananta-vrata-katha, Haritalika-vrata-katha, Rsi-pancami-vrata-katha, Budhastami-vrata, Yama-dvitiya, Mangala-gauri-vratodyapana, Mangala-vrata, Visnu-pancaka-vrata, Amuktabharanavrata, Dasaphala-vrata, Sivamusti-vrata, Somavati-amavasya-vrata, Vattisi-purnima, Dasaratha-lalita-vrata, Gaja-gauri-vrata and katha, Vamana-jayanti-vratodyapana, Go-triratri-vrata and katha, Janmastami-vrata and katha, Vara-laksmi-vrata-katha, Mahalaksmi-vrata-katha, Annapurna-vrata-katha, Holika-vrata-katha, Vata-savitrivrata-katha, Indraksi-stotra, Aditya-hrdaya-stotra, Ganesa-stotra, Surya-sahasra-namastotra). (iii) A. B. Keith, Catalogue, II. ii, pp. 948-954, Nos. 6689-6705 (Ananta-vrata, Asvattha-vivaha, Aditya-hrdaya-stotra, Rsi-pancami-vrata-katha, Kamalacala-mahatmya, Ghrta-snanesvara-mahatmya, Cola-vamsavali, Dasaphala-vrata-kalpa, Bhagavatamahatmya, Vara-laksmi-vrata-kalpa, Kedara-vrata-kalpa, Ananta-padmanabha-vrata, Saligrama-stotra, Sarasvati-puja, Siddhi-vinayaka-vrata-kalpa, Haritalaka-vrata-katha). (iv) Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Adyar Library, Part I, p. 146 (Mukutesvara-mahatmya) and p. 148 (Sangamesvara-mahatmya). (v) Chintaharan Chakravarti, pp. 81-82 (Aditya-hrdaya). (vi) M. A. Stein, Catalogue, pp. 207-8 (Acala-saptami-vrata, Ananta-vrata, Rsi-pancami-vrata, Ganesa-caturthi-vrata, Candana-sasthi-vrata, Janmastami-vrata, Dharanaparana-vrata, Bhavi-raja-nirupana, Bhimasena-katha, Mala-masa-vrata, Mahalaksmivrata, Vata-savitri-vrata, Haritalika-vrata). (vii) P. P. S. Sastri, XV, pp. 6899-6922, Nos. 10039-59 (Agnisvaramahatmya, Alakapuri-mahatmya, Jnanamkurapura-mahatmya, Pattisvara-mahatmya, Parasara-ksetra-mahatmya, Puspavana-mahatmya, Brhadisvara-mahatmya, Brahmapura-mahatmya, Bhumisvara-mahatmya, Venkatagiri-mahatmya, Venkatesvara-rahasya, Saktivana-mahatmya, Siva-bhakta-mahatmya, Siva-bhakti-mahatmya-Purvabhaga, and Siva-bhakti-mahatmya-Uttara-bhaga).

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 369 is the same as the 'Bhavisyottara' known to and drawn upon by the Smrti-writers of different climes and ages, is shown definitely by the facts that this 'Uttara-parvan' calls itself 'Bhavisyottara' in more places than one, 14 that it agrees very closely with the extant Manuscripts of the 'Bhavisyottara'," that the large majority of the verses ascribed by the Smrti-writers to the 'Bhavisyottara' occurs in the present Uttaraparvan, and that in none of the Manuscripts of the Bhavisya-purana there is even a single mention of any 'Uttara-parvan' as forming a part of the Bhavisya-purana, which, in its Brahmaparvan, is said to have consisted of five Parvans, viz., Brahma, Vaisnava, Saiva, Tvastra and Pratisarga." So, we have often referred to the Uttara-parvan (of the Bhavisya-purana) under the title 'Bhavisyottara' and have used it in these pages for our analysis of the Bhavisyottara-purana By way of explaining why he did not utilise the contents mh Some of these texts once did occur in the Bhavisyottara. For instance, in his Caturvarga-cintamani, II. ii, pp. 303-8 Hemadri quotes from the 'Bhavisyottara' a whole chapter on Go-triratri-vrata, but at present this chapter does not occur in the Bhavisyottara but exists in separate Manuscripts (for which see Haraprasad Shastri, V, pp. 471-2, Nos. 3792- 93). 14 Bhavisya-purana IV. 2. 7 (bhavisyottaram etat te kathayami yudhisthira); 207. 4 (bhavi- syottaram etat te kathitam pandu-nandana); 207. 10 (khyatam bhavisyottara-namadheyam maya puranam tava sauhrdena). For the title 'Bhavisyottara' see also the colophons of the Manuscripts of the Bhavisyottara described by Eggeling (Julius Eggeling, A Descriptive Catalogue, VI, p. 1255), R. L. Mitra (Notices, VIII, p. 37), Weber (Berlin Cat. of 1853, No. 468, p. 137), P. P. S. Sastri (Tanjore Cat., XV, pp. 6897-99), Stein (Jammu Cat., p. 207), and others. It is only in the chapter-colophons of the so-called Uttara-parvan of the Venkatesvara Press (Bombay) ed, of the Bhavisya-purana that there is no mention of the title 'Bhavisyottara'. These colophons run thus: iti sribhavisye mahapurane uttara-parvani ... ... ... ... ... ... adhyayah. 18 See footnote 13 above. 16 A complete list of these verses will be given at the end of the final Volume of this work. 17 Bhavisya-purana I. 2. 1-3. See also Naradiya-purana I. 100. 5-11. For Manuscripts of the Bhavisya-purana see H. P. Haraprasad Shastri, V, pp. 424-430 (No. 3738, which consists of five Parvans-Brahma, Vaisnava, Saiva, Tvastra and Pratisarga; No. 3739; and No. 3740, which is divided into two parts-Purva and Upari, the former part consisting of the Brahma and Vaisnava Parvans and the latter containing the Madhyama-tantra), and Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts, Second Series, Volume II, No. 151 (same as Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) Cat., V, No. 3740); Julius Eggeling, VI, p. 1254 (No. 3447); Theodor Aufrecht, pp. 30-33 (No. 75); Hrishikesa Shastri, IV, pp. 94-96 (No. 176, which speaks of three parts-Vaisnava, Siva and Sakti, gives the lives of Jiva Gosvamin and other followers of Caitanya, and thus resembles the Pratisargaparvan of our printed Bhavisya-purana). 24

370 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS of some of the Puranic works in his Danasagara, Vallalasena says regarding the 'Bhavisyottara': "bhavisyottaram acara-prasiddham avirodhi ca / pramanya-jnapak-adrster granthad asmat prthak krtam //'18 "Though the Bhavisyottara is famous for its customary laws (or, is popularly followed) and is not contradictory [to good customs], it is avoided in this work for want of [sufficient] evidence to prove its authority.' As a matter of fact, the name of the 'Bhavisyottara' is not included in any of the lists of eighteen Puranas and Upapuranas known to us. But this exclusion has not stood in the way of its recognition as an authoritative work. Although, like Vallalasena, Laksmidhara also does not utilise its contents in his Krtya-kalpataru, evidently for the same reason, most of the remaining Smrti-writers of prominence (such as Jimutavahana, Apararka, Devanabhatta, Hemadri, Madhavacarya, Madanapala, Sulapani, Govindananda, Raghunandana, Anantabhatta, Gadadhara and others) are found to draw profusely upon this work without the least shade of doubt as regards its authenticity and authority. In spite of its exclusion from the lists of eighteen Puranas and Upapuranas the Bhavisyottara (which, as we have already said, has been printed as the Uttara-parvan of the Venkatesvara Press (Bombay) edition of the Bhavisya-purana) calls itself a distinct 'Purana named Bhavisyottara'.19 The Smrti-writers also regard it as a Puranic work. For instance, Hemadri, ✓ Madhavacarya, Anantabhatta and Mitra-misra call it a 'Purana', and according to Narasimha Vajapeyin it is an Upapurana and a part of the Bhavisya-purana21 In most of 20 18 Danasagara, p. 7 (verse No. 61). 1º Bhavisya-purana IV. 207.10-khyatam bhavisyottara-namadheyam maya puranam tava sauhrdena. 20 Caturvarga-cintamani, II. i, p. 604; Kala-nirnaya, p. 137- bhavisyottara-puranokte ratha-saptami-vrate. : Vidhana-parijata, I, p. 514- atra iti-kartavyata- : Viramitrodaya, Ahnika-prakasa, p. 432- ata eva bhavisyottara-purane-aharahah kriyate yat tu tan nityam iti kirtyate | ... ... ... ... ... .... // visego bhavisottara-purane.. 21 Nityacara-pradipa, p. 19.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 371 the short texts on vrata, puja, mahatmya etc., which attach themselves to the Bhavisyottara for authority, this work is called a 'Purana'," and in some of these texts it is even called a 'Mahapurana'23 and an 'Adi Mahapurana'. 24 Though from the title of the Bhavisyottara-purana we are tempted to suppose that it is a continuation of the Bhavisya-purana and though Narasimha Vajapeyin expressly calls it a part of the latter, 25 the present Bhavisyottara does not attach itself to the Bhavisya-purana for authority. 26 Its distinct character is further established by the facts that most of the Nibandhawriters draw as profusely upon the 'Bhavisyottara' by naming it independently as upon the 'Bhavisya-purana' and that none of the verses, ascribed to the 'Bhavisya-purana' or 'Bhavisya' by the comparatively early commentators and Nibandhawriters except Hemadri and the author of the Samvatsara- ✓ pradipa, is found in the Uttara-parvan, although it is full of various Smrti materials. The few cases, in which the verses ascribed to the 'Bhavisya-purana' in the Caturvargacintamani and the Samvatsara-pradipa are found in the Bhavisyottara or vice versa, must be due to the confusion, made either by the authors of these works or by the scribes, between the titles of the 'Bhavisya' and the 'Bhavisyottara' (of which the latter work was probably taken by them to be a part of the former). For instance, in Caturvargacintamani, I, pp. 432-4 and 1031-33 and II. i, pp. 537-543 and Samvatsara-pradipa, folios 13 a-14 a, 15 b-16 b and 17 a- 18 b long extracts (which really belong to the Bhavisyottara, in which Krsna speaks to Yudhisthira) have been ascribed to the 'Bhavisya-purana'; on the other hand, in Caturvargacintamani, II. i, pp. 604-5, 669-671 and 705-717 and II. ii, For these texts see footnote 13 above. * P. P. S. Sastri, XV, pp. 6905, 6909, 6910, 6916. A. B. Keith, Catalogue, II. ii, p. 951. * Julius Eggeling, VI, p. 1258. ** Nityacara-pradipa, p. 19- bhavisyottaram bhavisyapuranasy-aikadesah. *The chapter-colophons (viz., iti sribhavisye mahapurane uttara-parvani... adhyayah) of the Uttara-parvan of the Venkatesvara Press (Bombay) ed. of the Bhavisya-purana, in which the Bhavisyottara has been called the 'Uttara-parvan' of the 'Bhavisya Mahapurana', cannot be supported by any of the Manuscripts of the 'Bhavisyottara'.

372 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS pp. 526-7, verses, which really belong to the Bhavisya-purana, have been ascribed to the 'Bhavisyottara'.27 In the Samvatsara-pradipa, a metrical line has been ascribed to the 'Bhavisya-purana' in one place (viz., fol. 2 b) and to the 'Bhavi- syottara' in another (viz., fol. 56 a). The present Bhavisyottara begins with salutations to Ganapati, Vagadhidevata (goddess of speech), Vasudeva, Siva, Paramesthin (Brahma) and Bhanu (the Sun) and says that once Vyasa, Markandeya, Mandavya and other sages came to see Yudhisthira after he had ascended the throne. Yudhisthira, with Krsna and Dhaumya as well as his own brothers in his train, received the sages with due respect. When the sages took their seats, Yudhisthira, who deemed himself guilty of causing the death of his own kinsmen, asked Vyasa to narrate to him, in a general way (avisesatah), the essence of the entire Dharma (-sastra), 28 so that he might expiate the sin he had committed. He also added that none but Vyasa and Krsna was able to give him proper instructions in this respect. Vyasa referred him to Krsna and departed for his own hermitage. (- Chapter 1). Yudhisthira then requested Krsna to speak on the origin of the universe, the geography of the earth, the final destruction of the world, the causes of worldly prosperity, and so on. In answer to these questions Krsna Krsna spoke out the 'Bhavisyottara' (-purana), the contents of which, Krsna said, had already been narrated by 'the lord of Luminaries' (i.e. the Sun) to the sage Yajnavalkya, when the latter asked the former about futurity. * In Madhavacarya's com. on the Parasara-smrti, I. i, p. 189 and II. ii, p. 210 and Hemadri's Caturvarga-cintamani, II. i, pp. 381-2 and 604-5 some verses have been ascribed to the 'Bhavisyottara', but these verses are found not in the Uttara-parvan but in the Brahma-parvan of the printed Bhavisya-purana On the other hand, the verses, which have been ascribed to the 'Bhavisya-purana' in Caturvarga-cintamani, I, pp. 663, 671 and 673, are found not in the Brahma-parvan but in the Uttara-parvan. We may explain these cases by saying that either these Smrti-writers made mistakes in naming the sources of the verses mentioned above, or the 'Bhavisyottara', known to these Smrtiwriters, had these verses borrowed from the Bhavisya-purana (We shall see hereinafter that the present Bhavisyottara has incorporated a good number of chapters of the Bhavisya-purana). 28 Bhavisya-purana IV. 1. 20 b-mamadya dhar a-sarvasvam prajna-dipena darsaya.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 373 Consequently, the contents of the Bhavisyottara are as follows. Chapter 2 (verses 7 ff.)-Unity of the three gods-Brahma, Visnu and Siva, who are distinguished from one another only due to their different names and functions.29 The four Padas (viz., Prakriya, Anusanga, Upodghata and Upasamhara) and the five characteristics (viz., sarga, pratisarga, etc.) of the Puranas. Description of the origin of the world mostly according to the principles of Samkhya philosophy, and Aditya's appearance in it as Prajapati, Visnu and Rudra under the influence of the three gunnas; origin of the nine Brahmas (Marici, Atri, Angiras and others) as well as of Daksa and Prasuti from Prajapati; Daksa's sons and sixty daughters. The temples of Brahma, Visnu and Siva on the three peaks of the mountain Meru; the kula-parvatas of Jambu-dvipa; the names of the seven dvipas and of the seven oceans surrounding them; the names of the fourteen lokas (worlds) and the residents of these lokas. The names of different Manus. The gods in the Vaivasvata Manvantara. The four kinds of dissolution (laya). Chapter 3.-Description of the nature of Visnu-maya which deludes the world, and Krsna's narration, in this connection, of the story of Visnu's assumption of the form of a Brahmin named Yajnasarma, his coming down, with Narada, to the city of Vaidisa on the Vetravati, where he blessed a resourceful Vaisya farmer named Sirabhadra with a long and prosperous life and a large number of sons, grandsons and great-grandsons, his meeting, in the village Venika on the Bhagirathi, with a poor but highly hospitable Brahmin agriculturist named Gosvamin, who was tired out by the work of cultivation and pressed hard by a 'methi' (a post for binding cattle with) and other agricultural implements and whom he blessed to be relieved of his farming, because, he said, a ploughman acquires in a day the same amount of sin as that earned by a fisherman in * brahma visnur vrsamkas ca trayo devah satam matah / nama-bhedaih kriya-bhedair bhidyante natmana svayam // Bhavisya-purana IV. 2. 9 b-10 a.

374 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS a year, his arrival, with Narada, at Kanyakubja and bath in a beautiful lake, Narada's transformation into an extremely charming lady immediately after his bath, the marriage of this beautiful lady with king Taladhvaja, her bringing forth of a pumpkin from which fifty powerful sons were born, her mourning for the sudden destruction of these sons and their descendants, Visnu's appearing in the form of a Brahmin and explaining the nature of Visnu-maya, and Narada's regaining his previous form. Chapter 4.-Karma-vipaka (the results of actions, with a grim description of the manifold troubles of life from birth to death).-Birth of creatures (-stages in the development of the child in the mother's womb till delivery; sufferings undergone by the child in the womb; impurity of the body; the child's retention of the power of remembrance of the events of the previous birth, while residing in the mother's womb); troubles in childhood, youth etc.; insignificance of the pleasures arising from enjoyment of women; inevitability of death. Chapter 5.-Different kinds of sins which lead one to hell. Classification of sins into manasa, vacika and kayika. Classification of sinners into (a) mahapatakins (such as those who kill Brahmins, drink wine, and do similar other acts), (b) brahmaghnas (such as those who refuse to give anything to a poor needy Brahmin after calling him with a promiseverse 11; those who, being proud of their learning, do not show proper respect to Brahmins in a meeting-verse 12; those who create obstruction to those hungry or thirsty Brahmins who are eager for food or drink-verse 14; those who make false reports of other's faults to the king-verse 17; those who misappropriate the landed property already dedicated to gods, Brahmins or cows-verse 18; and so on), (c) patakins (such as those who do not marry their marriageable daughters to proper persons-verse 14), (d) upapatakins (such as those who sell their wives or children-verse 34; those who do not pay their debts, and those who accept interests on food materials lent out to others-verse 36; teachers who accept remuneration, and students who read

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 375 with such teachers-verse 38; and so on), and (e) other greater sinners-papatarah-who go to hell (such as those who fight unfairly; the manufacturers of bows, arrows and other weapons, as well as the dealers in these things-verse 53; those who do not support their wives, children and other dependants with maintenance-verses 55-56; those twiceborn men who enjoy Sudra women or smell wine intentionally-verse 48; those kings who are bad rulers-verses 67-71; and so on). Chapter 6.-The ways in which the donors of different articles (such as shoes, umbrellas, clothes, bed, gardens, temples, poor-houses, 30 lamps, asylums, medicine, land, food etc.) proceed comfortably to the region of Yama and thence to heaven. Praise of anna-dana (gift of food). The paths by which the sinners go to Yama's residence. Description of hells as well as of the sufferings of the sinners there. Chaps. 7-126, 129-130, 132-140, 146-147 and 206.Praise of donations (dana) and vows (vrata) as the only means of attaining happiness, power, peace and prosperity and getting rid of the sufferings in hells. Description and praise of various kinds of vratas which are to be observed on different lunar days from Pratipad and in which various deities, viz., Brahma, Visnu, Siva, Durga, Ganesa, Sarasvati, Karttikeya, Vinayaka and other gods and goddesses, are to be worshipped. (These vratas have been arranged in the Uttara-parvan in the order of the Tithis on which they are to be observed). Description and praise of various kinds of festivals, such as Nirajana-dvadasi (chap. 71), Phalgunapurnimotsava (chap. 132), Andolaka-mahotsava (chap. 133), the Sun's Ratha-yatra (chap. 134), Madana-mahotsava (chap. 135), Bhutamatrutsava (chap. 136), Mahanavami (chap. 138), Mahendra-dhvaja-mahotsava (chap. 139), and Dipalika (chap. 140). Methods and praise of various kinds Bhavisya-purana IV. 6. 10- devayatana-karta ca yatinam asramasya ca / anatha-mandapanam ca kridan yati grhottamaih //

376 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS of bath, viz., magha-snana (bath in the month of Magha), nitya-snana, rudra-snana (a special kind of bath meant chiefly for progeny), and grahana-snana (bath during eclipses). Chaps. 127-128.-Methods and benefits of dedicating wells, pools and tanks and of planting trees for the good of others. Chapter 131. Dedication of bulls especially for the good of the departed forefathers. Chaps. 141-145.-Methods of performing ayuta-homa, laksa-homa, koti-homa, mahasanti and naksatra-homa for the pacification of planets. Methods of pacifying Vinayaka for allaying impediments and getting rid of evils indicated by bad dreams. Chapter 148. Praise of giving one's own daughter or a helpless girl in marriage to a worthy bridegroom either of the same caste as that of the girl or of a higher one, without accepting any money from the bridegroom. Chapter 149. Praise of Brahmins as the highest gods on earth as well as in heaven. They are said to be the makers and unmakers of gods and non-gods, and the sources of origin of the universe. 31 Chaps. 150-204.-Methods and praise of making various kinds of donation, viz., gifts of cows, bulls, female buffaloes, sheep etc. and of cows made of gold, gems, sesamum, water, ghee, salt, etc.; gifts of ploughs fitted with bulls, and of houses, food, utensils, maid-servants, 32 and manuscripts of the Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana etc. after having them copied by scribes; donation of hillocks made of gold, * Bhavisya-purana IV. 149. 2-3- adevam daivatam kuryuh kuryur devam adaivatam / brahmanebhyah samutpanna devah purvam iti smrtih / brahmanebhyo jagat sarvam tasmat pujyatama dvijah // (For praise of Brahmins see also chap. 69, in which verse 25 runs as follows: brahmanas caiva gavas ca kulam ekam dvidha krtam / ekatra mantras tisthanti havir anyatra tisthati //). **The Bhavisyottara emphasises the necessity of maid-servants for comfort and cleanliness and says (in verse 8) that the house which lacks gold, maid-servants, sufficient food and ghee as well as milk is a veritable hell,

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 377 silver, gems, rice, salt, sesamum, sugar etc.; bigger donations, such as those of tula-purusa, hiranya-garbha, brahmanda, hiranyasva-ratha, hema-hasti-ratha etc.; donation of one's own iron statue after decorating it with proper ornaments and furnishing it with various articles; and so on. Chapter 205. Good manners, customs and usages. (Of the numerous prescriptions and prohibitions the following are noteworthy: One, who wants a long life, should not see one's image in a mirror at night; one may dine at the house of a goldsmith but must never believe him or make friends with him; one should not take food from a dish placed on a stool; while taking one's meal one should eat mild things first, pungent things in the middle, and liquid things at the end; one should not take fried rice and barley at daytime and curd and barley meal-saktu-at night; one, who wants freedom from disease, should sleep with the head turned preferably towards the east or towards the south; one should maintain in one's house pigeons, parrots and sarikas but not cockroaches, because the presence of the first three brings in wealth, whereas the last are creative of evils).33 Chaps. 207-8.-Krsna's departure for Dvaraka. Enumeration of the topics dealt with in the Bhavisyottara. Conclusion. The above contents of the Bhavisyottara show clearly that it is practically a work on vows (vrata), festivals and donations and has almost nothing of the five characteristics of the 'Purana'. The vows dealt with in this work are various and numerous, some being Vaisnava, some Saiva, some Sakta, some Ganapatya, some Saura, and so on. There is also a good number of vows in which lesser deities like Sarasvati, Karttikeya, Yama, Varuna, Budha, Naksatras, and the Earth, 34 and even trees, grass and animals,* are 39 See Bhavisya-purana IV. 205. 91 b-93 a, 109-112, 122, and 143 b-144 a. 34 See Bhavisya-purana IV. 35 (Sarasvata-vrata), 42 (Karttikeya-puja-sasthi-vrata), 89 (Yamadarsana-trayodasi-vrata), 91 (Pali-vrata), 54 (Budhastami-vrata), 65 (Taraka-dvadasivrata), and 105 (Visoka-purnima-vrata). In the Tilaka-vrata (chap. 8) the figure of a man is to be painted on the ground to represent the year and then worshipped. In connection with the worship of Karttikeya (in the Karttikeya-puja-sasthi-vrata) the Bhavisyottara says;

378 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS to be worshipped, but there is not a single vrata which requires the worship of Brahma as the principal deity. Among the Vaisnava vratas there are some which seem to be Pancaratra and some appear to be Bhagavata. This distinction seems to be indicated by the Mula-mantras mentioned in connection with them. For instance, in the Govinda-sayanotthapana-dvadasi-vrata (chap. 70), Sukrta-dvadasi-vrata (chap. 82), Dharani-vrata (chap. 83) and Kama-dana-vesyavrata (chap. 111) the Mula-mantra 'om namo narayanaya' is directed to be used, but in the Bhisma-pancaka-vrata (chap. 72), Sravana-dvadasi-vrata (chap. 75) and Sanaiscaravrata (chap. 114) the Mula-mantra to be used is 'om namo vasudevaya' or ''om namo bhagavate vasudevaya'. The Saura Vratas, on the other hand, differ in their media of worship of the Sun-god. Thus, in the Visoka-sasthi-vrata and the Kamala-sasthi-vrata the medium of worship is a golden lotus (kancana padma, haima-padma); in the Kalyana-saptami-vrata and the Sarkara-saptami-vrata, as described in Bhavisya-purana IV. 48 and 49 respectively, the figure of an eight-petalled lotus has to be painted on the ground with powdered rice dried in the sun or with saffron for the worship of the Sun-god in the different petals and the pericarp with "karttikeyad rte nanyo rajnam pujyah pravaksyate // samgramam gacchamano yah pujayet krttika-sutam / sa sarvam jayate viro yathendro danavan rane //" (Bhavisya-purana IV. 42. 24 b-25). "No [deity] other than Karttikeya is said to deserve worship by kings. "That hero who, when going out for war, worships the son of the Krttikas, conquers all, just as Indra defeats the Danavas in war." 35 For instance, in the Asoka-vrata, Karavira-vrata and Madhuka-vrata the respective trees (Asoka, Karavira and Madhuka) are to be worshipped (chapters 9, 10 and 16): in the Durvastami-vrata Durva grass has to be worshipped (chap. 56); in the Kokilavrata the form of a female cuckoo is to be made with powdered sesamum, furnished with eyes of gems and wings of gold, placed on a copper dish, duly worshipped, and then given to a Brahmin (chap. 11); in the Go-vatsa-dvadasi-vrata a cow is to be regarded as Gauri herself and worshipped (chap. 69); in the Mandara-nimb-arka-karavira-vrata Sveta-mandara, Nimba, Sveta-arka, and Rakta-karavira plants are to be worshipped (chap. 88); and so on. ** See Bhavisya-purana IV. 38. 6 krtva tu kancanam padmam arko 'yam iti pujayet / karavirena raktena rakta-vastra-yugena ca // Bhavisya-purana IV. 39. 2 (sasthim uposya kamalam karayitva sukancanam), and 10 (sarkara-kalasam dadyaddhaima-padma-phalanvitam).

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 379 the mention of his different names; and in the Mandara-sasthivrata an image of a male, made of gold and furnished with a golden lotus in one of its hands, is to be placed on an eight-petalled lotus made with black sesamum, and the Sungod is to be worshipped in the eight petals with Mandara flowers with the mention of his eight names (Bhaskara, Surya, Arka, Aryaman, Vasu-dhatr, Canda-bhanu, Pusan and Ananda) and in the pericarp as Purusa (Bhavisya-purana IV. 40). Though there are a few vratas in which sectarian spirit is noticeable, there are many which are free from all kinds of narrowness and in which more deities than one are to be worshipped or respected. For instance, in the Aviyogavrata Hari-and-Laksmi, Hara-and-Gauri, Brahma-andSavitri, and Ravi-and-Rajni are to be worshipped in a mandala (chap. 68); and in the Nirajana-dvadasi, as described in chap. 71, first Hari and then Laksmi, Brahma, Candika, Aditya, Samkara, Gauri, Ganesa, Nagas, planets, cows, buffaloes etc. are to be lustrated. The powers of these vratas have been shown by means of stories, some of which are based on those of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas, 38 but most of which are later fabrications. In these fabricated stories even, the central figures are in most cases some renowned princes or princesses of the epics or the Puranas [viz., Nahusa, Ila, Sagara, Aja, Dilipa, Yayati, Haihaya, Kartaviryarjuna, Kusadhvaja (of Mithila), Sita, Savitri, Damayanti and others] or some ancient sages or their wives. The fabricators of these stories have, in many cases, cared very little for the limits of possibility. For instance, in chap. 13 the story of a Vaisya is given in connection with the Bhadropavasavrata. It is said that this Vaisya was reborn as the son of Sanjaya, king of Kusavati, and his spittle, stool, urine etc. 37 Viz., Brhat-tapo-vrata (chap. 12), Uma-mahesvara-vrata (chap. 23), and Rambha-trtiya-vrata (chap. 24), all of which are Saiva. In these ratas the devotees of Siva are given preference. 38 Viz., the stories of Vinata and Kadru and of Jaratkaru in chap. 36; the story of the abduction of Tara by Soma in chap. 99; the story of Savitri in chap. 102; the story of the birth of Agastya, and his exploits, viz., his consumption of the demon Vatapi, his drinking of all the waters of the oceans, etc.; and so on.

380 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS turned into gold as soon as these fell on the ground. So he was named Svarnasthivi. He was later on killed by the robbers from the Deccan but was revived by Narada. Among the other stories of interest the following may be mentioned: Narada and Parvata's mutual curse for the former's marrying the daughter of king Samjaya of Kusavati with the promise that he would cause to be born to the king a son whose spittle, stool and urine would turn into gold (chap. 13); indifference of Indumati, a harlot of Magadha, to her sinful life, her approach to Vasistha for religious instructions, and the latter's advice to her about the observance of the Acala-saptami-vrata (chap. 53); Datta 39 Atreya's practice of Yoga in his hermitage on the Vindhya mountain, his saving of the gods from the hands of Sumbha, Jambha and other Daityas, and his granting of four boons to Kartaviryarjuna, who, consequently, became extremely powerful, performed numerous sacrifices at Mahismati, his capital, and introduced the Anaghastami-vrata (chap. 58); and Indra and other gods' defeat in a war with the demon Raktasura and coming down to the city of Karacchatra (?) for seeking the shelter of Devi Bhagavati, who, as a virgin deity having twenty hands and a lion as her mount, resided there with Camunda and the nine Durgas named Mahalaksmi, Nanda, Ksemamkari, Sivaduti, Mahatunda, Bhramari, Candramandala, Revati and Harasiddhi,40 and who saved the gods by killing the demons and snatching away their flags for the gods (chap. 61-Dhvaja-navamivrata). An examination of the vratas dealt with in the Bhavisyottara shows that though some of these vratas and worships might have a popular origin, many of them are the productions of the fertile brains of the Brahmins who are rightly * He was also called Anagha.-Bhavisya-purana IV. 58, 2 b-3 a (datto nama mahayogi visnor amso mahitale / dvitiyo nama loke 'sminn anaghas ceti visrutah //). 40 For the names and description of these deities see Bhavisya-purana IV. 61. 9-21. The names 'Mahatunda' and 'Candramandala' occur in verses 17 b and 19 b respectively, but in verse 10 a these two names have been given as 'Maharunda' and 'Candramangala'.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 381 called 'the makers and unmakers of gods and non-gods'. In some cases the Brahmins support popular vratas by fabricating relevant stories, but there are numerous cases in which they are found to take the advantage of Puranic stories for the creation of new vratas.¹¹ Though these vratas might be observed by all without distinction of caste or sex, they were meant mainly for women,¹² probably because it was through women, or rather mothers, that the teachings of the epics and the Puranas could be successfully spread among the people. It seems that the vratas were multiplied and encouraged by the Brahmins not only to counteract the influence of Buddhism and Jainism 43 on the varnasrama-dharma, but also to facilitate the distribution of wealth especially among those who were engaged in intellectual pursuits, to make the mothers painstaking and fit for giving birth to healthy children, 45 to raise the moral standard of the people, and to make the family and the social life more enjoyable." 44 Among the festivals described in the Bhavisyottara there are a few which were to be observed in the spring season, viz., Phalguna-purnimotsava (chap. 132), Andolaka-mahotsava (chap. 133) and Madana-mahotsava (chap. 135). During 41 See, for instance, the Hara-kali-trtiya-vrata, which is based on the following story: Kali, daughter of Daksa, was married to Siva. Once, being mortified at the mention of her dark complexion by Siva, she burnt herself in a fire and was reborn to Himalaya as Gauri. ( Chapter 20). * Sec, for instance, Bhavisya-purana IV. 29. 1 b-2 a- anantarya-vratam bruhi..... hitaya sarva-bhutanam lalananam visesatah || 13 Jainism is indirectly described as 'vrata-bhuyistha' in Devi-purana 13. 10. * All the vratas are to be followed by gifts to Brahmins and the poor. Sometimes these gifts are very costly. 45 Various kinds of austerities were to be observed in the tratas. (Sec, for instance, chapters 11, 26 and 70). So, the performers of these vratas had little opportunity to give themselves up to luxury and to have a fatty and ease-loving body. **Festivities, interdining, songs, dance etc. formed parts of some of the ratas. See, for instance, the Brhat-tapo-vrata, Bhadropavasa-vrata, Yama-dvitiya-vrata, Sripancami-vrata, Durvastami-vrata, Anaghastami-vrata and Aranya-dvadasi-vrata, in which the devotees were to dine with their friends and relatives as well as employees and guests. (See Bhavisya-purana IV, chapters 12-14, 37, 56, 58 and 66). Bhavisya-purana IV. 58.68 refers to music and dancing by experts; and in the Devi-vratas (such as Dhvaja-navami and Ulka-navami) virgin girls are to be fed (see, for instance, Bhavisya-purana IV. 61.51 and 62.6).

382 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS the Phalguna-purnimotsava, which was also called Holika and which was to be observed in every town and village" at the close of the winter, 48 a cottage was to be constructed with posts and straws and burnt. Children were to rush out of their houses with pieces of wood in hand, go thrice round the fire, shout, laugh and sing. It was believed that these acts of children brought about the destruction of the female goblin (raksasi) Dhaundha (also called Adada). In order to explain who this goblin was and why she was defeated by turbulent children, the Bhavisyottara gives the following story. During the reign of king Raghu a goblin named Dhaundha began to give trouble to children, although his subjects were otherwise very happy. Being informed of this trouble Raghu asked Vasistha as to who this goblin was and how she could be got rid of. Vasistha said that this Dhaundha worwhipped Siva and received from him a boon that none but unruly children could overpower her. He then described the method in which this Dhaundha could be killed. (It may be mentioned here that the goblin Dhaundha is nothing but the personified spirit of the winter season which troubles children with diseases and of which the latter get rid at the advent of spring). During the Andolaka-mahotsava, which was enjoyed equally by men and women, a swing was to be set up at the side of a tank, and the image of the deity to be worshipped was placed in it and swung. People threw dusts of saffron and took part in water-sports which they considered to be due to the influence of Cupid." In the Madana-mahotsava, Madana was to be worshipped in temples, and wives were to worship their husbands by identifying them with Cupid. The worshippers were to pass the night without sleep, have feasts, present scented betels, and see dances and dramatic and other performances. Besides these spring-festivals mentioned above, the Bhavisyottara describes a few more which seem to have been widely observed. Of these, the most interesting 47 Cf. Bhavisya-purana IV. 132. lb- utsavo jayate loke grame grame pure pure. * Cf. Bhavisya-purana IV. 132. 24 b- sita-kalo viniskrantah pratar grismo bhavisyati. * Bhavisya-purana IV. 133. 55-56.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 383 one is that of Bhuta-mata ('mother of evil spirits', also called Bhratr-bhanda) who is said to have originated from Parvati's urine. The image of Bhuta-mata, who had a very ugly and hideous look 50 and was believed to be a form of Bhagavati herself, was to be worshipped under an old tree, in order that no trouble could be caused to children by evil spirits. While taking the image to the tree, people were to make various interesting demonstrations such as those of taking a murderer to the place of execution for impaling him, and of a cruel Sabara with jet-black complexion and blood-shot eyes. This Bhuta-matrutsava, which must have had a popular origin, was to be observed in every town and village, and during this festival people were to behave like wild men, sing, laugh and dance at random, distort their faces and cover their bodies with mud. The Nirajana-dvadasi (chap. 71) was a festival to be observed by kings. The Mahanavami-vrata (or Durgotsava-chap. 138) was to be performed in every house, especially in royal palaces. Even the Mlecchas and others are said to have celebrated it. During this festival the worshipper was to pass the night, on the Astami Tithi, by hearing songs and seeing dances and theatrical performances. On the Navami Tithi he was to worship the virgin Vindhyavasini with the offer of 100, 50 or 25 buffaloes and sheep and of pitchers full of wine. After the worship had been over, the image was to be taken out in a procession in which the king himself and his army were to take part. The Mahendra-dhvaja-mahotsava (chap. 139) also was a state festival, in which all people took part. This festival was to be observed for nine or seven days, and during it people were to amuse themselves by witnessing dramatic performances, wrestling competitions, etc. and by "For description of this Bhuta-mata see Bhavisya-purana IV. 136.10-14- .nari nirdaritodara / krsna karala-vadana pimgaksa mukta-murdhaja /, kapala-malabharana baddha-pindordhva-pindaka / khatvanga-kankaladhara mudrankita-kara siva // vyaghra-carmambara-dhara ranat-kinkini-mekhala / damad-damad-damaruka phutkarapuritambara // etc. etc. 31 For description of these demonstrations see Bhavisya-purana IV. 136. 26 f.

384 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS gambling to their heart's content. During the Dipalikotsava (chap. 140) lamps were to be lighted in the evening in every house and monastery, in the temples of Brahma, Visnu, Siva, Siddhartha-Buddha, Camunda, Bhairava and others, in gardens, in stables, and so on. In the following evening the king was to make a declaration permitting his subjects, both male and female, to enjoy themselves according to their own choice. Consequently, people decorated their houses as well as their own persons and enjoyed the pleasures of gambling, drinking, etc. From what has been said above it is evident that the present Bhavisyottara is not a work of any particular sect. It is for this reason that at the beginning of chap. 8 we find Yudhisthira to request Krsna to speak on the Vratas relating to Brahma, Isa (i.e. Siva), Kesava, Gauri, Ganapati, Durga, Surya, Agni, Soma and others. As a matter of fact, the present Bhavisyottara deals with the vratas on almost all these deities. 52 Though the Bhavisyottara tries to pass as an independent Purana, it has got little which it can claim as its own. In the final colophon of R. L. Mitra's Manuscript the Bhavisyottara is described as 'sarva-sastroddhrta' (collected from the entire sastra). As a matter of fact, it is a loose collection of chapters taken from different sources, and its indebtedness to some of these sources has been clearly admitted in several places. For instance, in chap. 1, verse 20 Yudhisthira requests Vyasa to narrate to him the essence of the entire Dharma (-sastra), and in chap. 8, verses 1-2 he requests Krsna to speak to him on vratas relating to Brahma, Isa, Kesava, Gauri, Ganapati, Durga, Surya, Agni, Soma and others which are found in other works; 53 being requested by Yudhisthira to describe an easy method of attaining the proximity of Narayana, Krsna promises, in chap. 8, to tell 52 See footnote 13 above. 3ª brahmesa-kesavadinam gauri-ganapates tatha / durga-suryagni-somanam vratani madhusudana sastrantaresu drstani tava buddhi-gatani ca / tani sarvani me deva vada devaki-nandana //

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 385 him what the Earth did in ancient times, when she lay immersed in water; 54 the eighty-five vratas, dealt with in chap. 121, are said to have been 'collected from the Bhavisya, Matsya, Martanda and Varaha Puranas'55 (and as a matter of fact, most of these vratas have been taken verbatim at least from Matsya-purana, chap. 101); in chap. 128 (on vrksodyapanavidhi) Krsna is said to have described after Caraka, Atri and the Puranas the sacraments of the trees to be planted by the dedicator;56 in chap. 131 the method of dedication of bulls, especially for the good of one's departed forefathers, is said to have been described after Garga;57 the method of tiladhenu-dana, as given in chap. 152, is said to have been described by the Boar (Varaha) in ancient times; 58 being requested by Yudhisthira, in chap. 161, to speak on the method and results of kapila-dana, Krsna reproduces the speech of Vinatasva, in which the latter reported to his royal patron (whose name is not given in the Bhavisyottara) the interlocation between the Boar and the Earth on this topic; regarding ** Bhavisya-purana IV. 83. 6-7 (...dharanya yat krtam purvam majjantya vasudha-tale ............). *krsna uvaca- srnu bharata vaksyami pancasiti-vratani ca / noktani yani kasyapi munibhir dharma-darsibhih // bhavisya-matsya-martanda-puranesu ca varnitam / varaham caiva samgrhya kathyante tani pandava || Bhavisya-purana IV. 121. 1-2. ** jata-karmadikas tasya yah kriyah kila buddhiman / carak-atri-puranoktas tah srnusva yudhisthira // Bhavisya-purana IV. 128. 18. 87 yad uvaca pura gargo gokule 'nagha-pandava | tat te 'ham ca pravaksyami vidhim garga-pracoditam // Bhavisya-purana IV. 131. 3 b-4 a. ity uktam garga-munina vidhanam vrsa-moksane // Bhavisya-purana IV. 131. 13 a. * tila-dhenum pravaksyami srnu parthiva-sattama / varahena pura proktam mahapataka-nasinim // Bhavisya-purana IV. 152. 5. The Bodleian Manuscript reads 'varahena' for 'varahena'.-See Theodor Aufrecht, p. 35 a. yudhisthira uvaca- kapila-dana-mahatmyam kathayasva jagatpate / punyam yat sarva-dananam sarva-pataka-nasanam // srikrsna uvacatat te 'ham sampravaksyami vinatasvena yat pura / kathitam kapila-danam tac chrnurva mahamate // 25

386 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS the method and results of 'adi-varaha-dana' Krsna says in chap. 194, "I shall speak to you, Oh Yudhisthira, on the donation of Adi-varaha which was described to the Earth by myself in the form of the Boar";60 being requested by Yudhisthira, in chap. 195, to speak on the praise of donations Krsna proposes to report what Rudra said to Narada in ancient times and the Fish said to Manu.61 From these references it is evident that the present Bhavisyottara utilised the contents of the Matsya-purana, Bhavisya-purana, Martanda-purana, Varaha-purana as well as the works of Atri, Garga and others. (It should be mentioned here that in the Matsya-purana the Fish speaks to Manu and reports to the latter, in chapters 83-92, what Rudra said to Narada on the different kinds of gifts, and in the Varaha-purana the Boar speaks to the Earth). A comparison between this Bhavisyottara, on the one hand, and the Matsya-purana, Bhavisya-purana etc., on the other, shows how extensively the former has incorporated the chapters and verses of the latter. The chapters common to some of these Puranas are the following: vinatasva uvaca- atah param maharaj-obhayamukhyah samasatah / vidhanam yad varahena dharanyai kathitam pura // tad aham sampravaksyami nava-punya-phalam ca yat // dharany uvacayat tvaya kapila nama purvam utpadita prabho / .etad icchamy aham srotum vistaran madhusudana // varaha uvaca- • srnusva bhadre tattvena pavitram papa-nasinim / etc. Bhavisya-purana IV. 161. 1 ff. etc. See also Bhavisya-purana IV. 161. 80 b-81 idam rahasyam rajendra varaha-mukha-nirgatam / dharanyai kathitam purvam sarva-papa-pranasanam // ** adi-varaha-danam te kathayami yudhisthira / dharanyai yat pura proktam varaha-vapusa maya || 1 yudhisthira uvaca- Bhavisya-purana IV. 194. 1. bhagavan chrotum icchami dana-mahatmyam uttamam / yad aksayam pare loke devarsi-gana-pujitam // srikrsna uvacarudrena yat pura proktam naradaya mahatmane / matsyena manave tadvat tac chrnusva kurudvaha // Bhavisya-purana IV. 195. 1-2.

Chapter " THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS Bhavisyottara (i.e. Bhavisya-purana IV), I Matsya-purana 25 (Saubhagyastaka-trtiya-vrata) Chapter 60 26 (Ananta-trtiya-vrata and Rasa-kalyanini-vrata) Chaps. 62-63 27 (Ardranandakari-trtiya-vrata) Chapter 64 387 " " 35 (Sarasvata-vrata) " 48 (Kalyana-saptami-vrata) " ☑ ☑ ☑ " " ☑ " 49 (Sarkara-saptami-vrata) 50 (Kamala-saptami-vrata) 51 (Subha-saptami-vrata) 52 (Snapana-saptami-vrata) 84 (Visoka-dvadasi-vrata) 85 (Vibhuti-dvadasi-vrata) 86 (Madana-dvadasi-vrata) 97 (Siva-caturdasi-vrata) 66 " 74 " 77 " 78 " 80 " 68 " Chaps. 81-82 " 99-100 7 (verses 8 ff.) Chapter 95 " " " 98 (Phala-tyaga-caturdasi-vrata) 96 " " 108 (Naksatra-purusa-vrata) 54 (cf.) " ☑ " ☑ ☑ ☑ " " 111 (Kama-dana-vesya-vrata) 115 (Aditya-dina-nakta-vidhi) 116 (Samkranty-udyapana) 121 (Vrata-pancasiti) 125 (Candraditya-grahana-snana) 141 (Ayuta-homa-vidhi and Laksa-homa-vidhi) 157 (Ratna-dh enu-dana) 70 " 97 " 98 " 101 " 67 " 93 " (verses 1-118) 288 " " 159 (Go-sahasra-dana) " 165 (Sauvarna-prthivi-dana) 278 " 284 " " " 283 (cf.) 166 (Hala-pankti-dana) Chaps. 176-178 (Tula-purusa-dana, Hiranya-garbha-dana, Brahmanda-dana, Kalpa-vrksadana) Chapter 182 (Sapta-sagara-dana) " 183 (Mahabhuta-ghata-dana) Chaps. 274-277 Chapter 287 " 289

388 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS Bhavisyottara Chapter 186 (Hiranyasva-dana) Matsya-purana Chapter 280 " 187 (Hiranyasva-ratha-dana) 281 " " 188 (Krsnajina-dana) 206 " " 189 (Hema-hasti-ratha-dana) 282 " " 190 (Visva-cakra-dana) 285 " Chaps. 195-204 (Dhanyacala-, Lavanacala-, Gudacala-, Hemacala-, Tilacala-, Karpasacala-, Ghrtacala-, Ratnacala-, Raupyacala-, and Sarkaracala-dana) Chaps. 83-92 Chapter 206 (Rohini-candra-sayana-vrata) Chapter 57 etc. Bhavisyottara II etc. Bhavisya-purana I. 19 (Puspadvitiyavrata) I. 20 I. 31 conI. 32 The chapter on Puspa-dvitiya-` vrata, though not found in the Bhavisyottara at present, has. been ascribed to the 'Bhavisyottara' in Hemadri's Caturvarga-cintamani, II. i, pp. 381-2 Chapter 15 (Asunya-sayana-vrata) Chapter 31 (Angaraka-caturthi-vrata) taining the stories of Vinata and Kadru and of Jaratkaru) " 36 (Naga-pancami-vrata, " 43 (Vijaya-saptami-vrata) etc. III I. 81 etc. Bhavisyottara Varaha-purana Chapter 83 (Dharani-vrata, in which the Chaps. 39 ten incarnations of Visnu are) (verses 15 ff.)-50 dw worshipped) 161 (Kapila-dana) Chapter 111

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS Bhavisyottara IV Visnudharmottara Chapter 152 (Tila-dhenu-dana) " 153 (Jala-dhenu-dana) " 154 (Ghrta-dhenu-dana) III. 308 III. 309 III. 307 389 (It is, however, not known definitely whether the Bhavi- syottara derived chapters 152-154 from the Visnudharmottara or from some other source). According to Weber's Manuscript, chapters 146 (on Aparadha- sata-vrata), 147 (on Kancanapuri-vrata), and 161 (on Kapiladana-mahatmya) were derived from the Brahma-purana, Garuda-purana and Adi-varaha-purana respectively.62 Bhavisyottara, chapters 32 and 144 consist mostly of verses taken from the Ganapati-kalpa-prakarana of the Yajnavalkya-smrti (Acaradhyaya). Verses 7-8 a, 10 b and 12 a of Bhavisyottara, chap. 140 are found ascribed to the 'Lainga' in Srinatha Acarya-cudamani's Krtya-tattvarnava (fol. 69). So, at least chap. 140 might have been derived from the Linga-purana In his Smrti-tattva, I, pp. 44-45 Raghunandana quotes from chap. 55 of the present Bhavisyottara a few verses which, he says, were common to the Garuda-purana and the Bhavisyottara. Hence chap. 55 of the present Bhavisyottara seems to have been taken from the 'Garuda-purana', which must be the earlier one. In his Caturvarga-cintamani, III. i, p. 1079 Hemadri quotes an extract which he found common to the Visnudharmottara, Bhavisyat-purana, Brahma-vaivarta, Brahma-purana, Vayu-purana, Prabhasa-khanda and Bhavisyottara, and on p. 1095 he ascribes an extract to Yama, Yajnavalkya, Visnudharmottara, Brahma-vaivarta, Bhavisyottara and Kurma-purana. Hence it is probable that the Bhavisyottara incorporated verses of many more Puranas than those already mentioned. In Weber's Manuscript the sources of some of the chapters have been named. The Martanda-purana, mentioned in Bhavisyottara, chap. 121, must be different from the present Saura-purana, because not even a single of the numerous vratas described in the ** A. Weber, No. 468, p. 136.

390 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS Bhavisyottara is found in the latter. This Martanda-purana, was most probably the same as the Aditya-purana or the earlier Saura-purana But as none of these two last-mentioned Puranas is now found to exist in Manuscripts, we cannot be sure about the identification of the Martanda-purana We do not know which works of Atri and Garga have been utilised in Bhavisyottara, chapters 128 and 131 respectively. The Bhavisyottara has borrowed chapters from different sources not without any alteration. The chapters derived from the Matsya-purana have, in most cases, been developed with relevant stories concocted for glorifying the vows or donations dealt with in those chapters. Reverse is the case with regard to the chapters now traced in the present Varaha-purana These chapters have been shortened by the elimination of the stories. Though Bhavisyottara, chapters 83 and 161 have their parallels in the Varaha-purana, we have reasons to feel inclined to believe that these chapters were taken from the earlier Varaha-purana which is now extinct. These reasons are as follows: (1) The eighty-five vratas described in Bhavisyottara, chap. 121 are said to have been 'collected from the Bhavisya, Matsya, Martanda and Varaha Puranas', but not a single of these vratas is found in the present Varaha-purana (2) The method of tila-dhenu-dana, as given in chap. 152, is said to have been described by the Boar in ancient times, but the present Varaha-purana has a chapter on tila-dhenu-dana which is quite different from chap. 152 of the Bhavisyottara. (The Bhavisyottara, used by Apararka, contained a chapter on tila-dhenu-dana which was quite different from the present chapter on the same topic and in which Vinitasva spoke to a king.-See Apararka's commentary on the Yajnavalkyasmrti, p. 306). (3) The method and results of adi-varahadana, as found in chap. 194, are said to have been described originally by the Boar; but no chapter on adi-varaha-dana is found in the present Varaha-purana (4) In Bhavisyottara, chap. 161 Vinatasva reports to a king the interlocution between the Boar and the Earth on kapila-dana. Vinitasva,

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 391 as speaking to a king, is also found in the sections on tiladhenu-dana and sarkara-dhenu-dana, ascribed to the 'Bhavisyottara' in Apararka's commentary, pp. 306 and 312-3 respectively. But in Varaha-purana, chap. 111 (which corresponds to Bhavisyottara, chap. 161) one Hotr is the speaker. This Hotr is introduced in Varaha-purana 99. 75 ff. as speaking to his royal patron Vinitasva. Now, as Bhavisyottara, chap. 161 has its parallel in Varaha-p, chap. 111 and as the verses on sarkara-dhenu-dana, ascribed to the 'Bhavisyottara' in Apararka's commentary, pp. 312-3, are found in Varaha-purana, chap. 103 (in which Hotr is the speaker, and not Vinitasva), it is highly probable that Vinitasva was the speaker in the earlier Varaha-purana, that the Padma-purana (Srsti-khanda, chap. 31, verses 105 ff.) borrowed some portions of this earlier Varaha-purana and changed the position of Vinitasva to a king to whom his priest spoke on the different kinds of donations, and that the present Varaha-purana borrowed these portions from the Padma-purana and developed these borrowed portions with further additions 63. We have already said elsewhere that chapters 99-112 of the present Varaha-purana seem to have been added later. So, we may hold that the present Varaha-purana derived its chap. 111 not direct from the earlier Varaha-purana but through the Padma-purana (Srsti-khanda). As regards Varaha-purana, chapters 39 (verses 15 ff.)-50, which agree with Bhavisyottara, chap. 83 and which were added to the present Varaha-purana at the time of its composition, or rather compilation 65, we may suppose that they were taken direct from the earlier Varaha-purana, from which verses must have been retained in the present Varaha". It is, however, more probable that Bhavisyottara, chap. 83 was taken at a later date from the present Varaha-purana, because in Mitra and Aufrecht's Manuscripts of the Bhavisyottara we find a few chapters*7 which have been taken from the present Varaha-purana $3 * For the probable indebtedness of the present Varaha-purana to the Padma-purana (Srstikh.), see R. C. Hazra, Studies, p. 101. "R. C. Hazra, Studies, p. 101. ** Ibid., p. 101. "See Volume I, pp. 237-8. *7 For these chapters see infra.

392 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS As the Bhavisyottara is a loose collection of chapters derived from various sources, it is very difficult to find out the spurious portions. However, a comparison of the printed Uttara-parvan with Mitra and Aufrecht's Manuscripts of the Bhavisyottara shows that chapters 144-150 and 206-208 of the Uttara-parvan occur neither in Aufrecht's Manuscript nor in that noticed by Mitra. These chapters are also not drawn upon by any of the Nibandha-writers. Even Hemadri, who draws profusely upon almost all the chapters of the present Bhavisyottara, is silent about them. Hence these chapters must have been added in later times. The spurious character of chap. 206 (on Rohini-candra-sayana-vrata) is also proved definitely by its position as well as by the speaker Narada who begins to speak without any introduction. Chaps. 166-174 of Aufrecht's Manuscript deal with the donations of cows symbolically represented by molasses, milk, curd, honey, sugar, fruits, cotton, butter and juice of sugarcanes. These chapters do not occur in the printed Uttara-parvan. Of these, chapters 167-169, 171 and 173-174 are respectively the same as chapters 117-119 and 121-123 of Mitra's Manuscript It is highly probable that these chapters were derived at a later date from the present Varaha-purana in which chapters 101-107 and 109 deal with the same topics. Chapter 175 (dealing with 'ganesa-durga-visnu-gamga-stuti-varnana') of Aufrecht's Manuscript occurs neither in the printed Uttara-parvan nor in Mitra's Manuscript Similarly, chapters 173-177 (dealing with the enumeration of the names of vratas etc., and the description of the methods of giving a pot full of sesamum and performing the Rsi-pancami-vrata) of Mitra's Manuscript are found neither in the printed Uttara-parvan nor in Aufrecht's Manuscript There are also a few more chapters (viz.. 38-on Sandilya-saptamivrata, 49-on Somastami-vrata, 126-on krsna-go-dana, and 130-135-on asva-dana, kartavya-nirnaya, sraddha, and brahmadivivaha-laksana) in this Manuscript which are peculiar to itself. Of these chapters, all, except those on sraddha, seem to be later additions. Verses on sraddha are found quoted from the 'Bhavisyottara' in some of the Nibandhas, especially in Hemadri's Caturvarga-cintamani.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 393 We shall now proceed to determine the date of composition of the present Bhavisyottara. It has already been said that the present Bhavisyottara has been drawn upon profusely by the Nibandha-writers of different parts of India. Of these, Anantabhatta quotes almost all the verses of chapters 124 and 142 in his Vidhanaparijata I, Gadadhara quotes verses from chapters 18, 24, 55, 70, 72, 94, 117, 122, 138-140 and 172 in his Kalasara, Raghunandana from chapters 18, 36, 55, 56, 70, 76, 94, 138, 139 and 141 in his Smrti-tattva and Durga-puja-tattva, Govindananda from chapters 36, 55, 70, 94, 102 and 118 in his Varsa-kaumudi, Vacaspati-misra from chapters 15, 54, 55, 70, 102 and 103 in his Krtya-cintamani, Vidyapati Upadhyaya from chap. 138 in his Durga-bhakti-tarangini, Sulapani from chap. 55 in his Tithi-viveka, from chap. 102 in his Vrata-kala-viveka, and from chapters 141(?) and 138 in his Durgotsava-viveka, Madhavacarya from chap. 100 in his commentary on the Parasara-smrti and from chapters 8, 40, 55, 99 and 117 in his Kala-nirnaya, Candesvara from chap. 55 in his Tithi-nirnaya, Hemadri from chapters 8-10, 13-21, 23, 24, 28-30, 37-42, 44-45, 53, 54, 57-67, 69, 72-76, 87-90, 93, 94, 96, 99-103, 111, 113, 114, 119, 121, 130, 132, 135-138, 154, 155, 160, 162, 163, 166, 167, 170, 172, 173, 181, 184, 185, 190, 191, 193-199 etc. in his Caturvarga-cintamani, Apararka from chapters 130, 155, 160, 172, 174, 175, 177, 178, 181, 184 and 192 in his commentary on the Yajnavalkya-smrti, and Jimutavahana from chapters 55, 75, 118, 138 and 139 in his Kala-viveka". In his Smrti-tattva, I, pp. 44-45 Raghunandana quotes from chap. 55 of the present Bhavisyottara a few verses which, he says, were quoted in the Rajamartanda and the Krtya-cintamani (garuda-bhavi- syottara-vacanani rajamartanda-krtyacintamani-dhrtani. . ). The Samvatsara-pradipa has a large number of verses from chapters 15, 42, 46, 54-56, 70, 94, 102 and 140%. Vallalasena, though not quoting any verse from this work, mentions it work. *-* Complete lists of these verses will be given in the final Volume of the present

394 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS in his Danasagara and testifies to the fact that it attained the position of an authoritative work in his time". Hence the present Bhavisyottara must be dated earlier than 900 A.D. As this work is remarkably free from Tantric influence", it should be dated not later than 800 A.D., because from an examination of other Puranic works we have found that Tantric influence began to be imbibed appreciably by the Puranas from about 800 A.D.72. Again, the Bhavisyottara mentions the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Harivamsa 73, knows the names of the zodiacal signs (rasi)" and the week-days, and gives the list of Visnu's ten incarnations (including Krsna, Buddha and Kalkin) in more places than one". (From an examination of the different lists of Visnu's incarnations we have seen that the Buddha began to be regarded as an incarnation of Visnu from about 550 A.D."). In Bhavisya-purana IV. 8. 1-2 Yudhisthira requests Krsna to speak on the vratas relating to Brahma, Isa, Kesava, Gauri and others, but in the present Bhavisyottara there is not even a single vrata in which Brahma figures as the principal deity. On the other hand, he is found to occupy a secondary position in many of the vows and donations. So, at the time of compilation of the present * Danasagara, p. 7 (verse 61)-bhavisyottaram acara-prasiddham avirodhi ca / pramanya-jnapak-adrster granthad asmat prthak krtam // 11 The mantras to be used in worships connected with vows, donations etc. are, in all cases, Vedic or Puranic or both. In a few cases the use of the sectarian mantras such as 'om namo narayanaya' and 'om namo bhagavate vasudevaya", has also been prescribed, but in no case there is even a single mention of any Tantric mantra. Performance of nyasas has been prescribed only in one place, viz., in Bhavisya-purana IV. 83. 14, but we have already said that this chapter (83) might have been taken at a later date from the present Varaha-purana "R. C. Hazra, Studies, pp. 260-261. ** Bhavisya-purana IV. 58. 63 (pradyumnadi-putra-vargam harivamse yathoditam); 74. 47 (harivamsadikam sarvam. · · /sauparnikam athakhyanam bharatakhyanam eva ca//); 140.71 (ramayanam iva subhagam........); 174. 15 (puranam bharatam vapi ramayanam athapi va). ** Bhavisya-purana IV. 55. 15-16; 70. 4; 118. 56 b-57 a; 122. 20; 125. 2; 138. 13; and so on. 75 Bhavisya-purana IV. 30. 5; 32. 12; 59. 2; 75. 4; 89. 25; 103. 28; 111. 49; 113. 2; 115. 3-4; 170. 21; and so on. ** Bhavisya-purana IV. 63. 23 (this list excludes Parasurama but includes Rama i.e. Balarama); chap. 83; 190. 6 b-7 a. See also Bhavisya-purana IV. 85. 10 (dasavatara-rupani......); and 76. 44 (in which all of the ten incarnations, except Buddha and Kalkin, have been mentioned). 77 See R. C. Hazra, Studies, pp. 41-42.

THE SAKTA UPAPURANAS 395 Bhavisyottara Brahma seems to have been thrown into the background. Bhavisya-purana IV. 4. 95 b-97 a (yasya yavad bhaved ayur dehinam purva-karmabhih / tasyarddhamanuso (? -arddham ayuso) ratrir harate mrtyu-rupini // bala-bhavena mohena vardhakye jaraya tatha / varsanam vimsatir yati dharma-kamartha-varjita //) seem to be based on Bhartrhari's Subhasita-trisati 3. 49 (ayur varsa-satam nrnam parimitam ratrau tadardham gatam etc.); and Bhavisya-purana IV. 4. 121 (arthasy-oparjane duhkham arjitasyapi raksane / aye duhkham vyaye duhkham arthebhyas ca kutah sukham //) was most probably taken from the Pancatantra (I. 163) 78. We have already seen that the Bhavisyottara not only mentions the Matsya-purana and the Bhavisya-purana as sources of some of its chapters but derives a large number of chapters from these two Puranas". Hence the date of compilation of the present Bhavisyottara cannot be placed earlier than 700 A.D. Thus the date of this Purana falls between 700 and 800 A.D. It is highly probable that it was compiled towards the end of the 8 th century A.D. The catholic spirit, which this Purana entertains regarding the different deities, and the secondary position to which it lowers Brahma, tend to support this date, because it was at this time that Samkaracarya began his activities and the pancayatana-puja was gaining ground. The present Bhavisyottara has not only gained by incorporating new chapters but has also sustained loss. For instance, this work does not contain any chapter on Ekadasi-vrata, although in chap. 8 (verses 1-3) Yudhisthira requests Krsna to describe the vratas of different gods in the order of the Tithis (beginning with the Pratipad-pratipatkramena) on which these are to be observed. That the Bhavisyottara once contained one or more chapters on Ekadasi-vrata is proved by the fact that Hemadri, Madhavacarya, Govindananda and others quote a large number of * As we have not yet been able to trace Bhavisyottara, chap. 4 in any other work, it seems to have been written by the compiler himself. "For dates of the Matsya-purana and the Bhavisya-purana see R. C. Hazra, Studies, pp. 26 ff. and 167 ff.

396 STUDIES IN THE UPAPURANAS verses on Ekadasi-vrata from the 'Bhavisyottara'. Besides these, there is mention of Mahalaksmi-vrata, Haritalika-vrata, Somavaranvita-amavasya-vrata, Ravi-rota-vrata, Dharmakarma-vrata, Saptama-dhulika-vrata, and Naga-pancamivrata (of a different type) in Rudradhara Upadhyaya's Varsa-krtya, of Ratha-saptami-vrata and Phala-sasthi-vrata in Madhavacarya's Kala-nirnaya (pp. 137 and 190), and of galantika-dana, manika-dana, Jaya-pancami-vrata, Surya- sasthi-vrata, Krsna-sasthi-vrata, Tapas-carana-vrata, vrata, Amuktabharana-saptami-vrata, Ratha-saptami-vrata, Vai- sakha-navami-vrata, Vaitarani-vrata, Ubhaya-dvadasivrata, Guhyaka-dvadasi-vrata, Caturdasi-vrata, SantanadaGo-triratri-vrata, Jati-triratri-vrata, Kaumudimahotsava, Sada-vrata, Sukha-vrata, Candika-vrata, Tripura-sudana-vrata, Nandaditya-vrata etc. in Hemadri's Caturvarga-cintamani. But no chapter on these vows and donations occurs in the present Bhavisyottara, some of them being found to occur in separate Manuscripts Except chap. 112 (on Vrntaka-vrata) and a few lines here and there, the whole of the present Bhavisyottara is written in verse.